* Banneker Circle and Fountain - In southwest Washington near Maine Avenue and Water Street, the circle and foundation memorialize this black mathematician and astronomer.

* Bethune Museum and Archives - Mary McLeod Bethune was the 15th of 17 children, born to slaves on the McLeod Plantation in Mayesville, S.C. Born after the Emancipation, Mary was a free woman. Recognizing the need for freedom and equality, Mary became a powerful force in the struggle for civil rights - as a counselor to four presidents, director of a government agency, founder of a major organization for human rights, and consultant to world figures seeking peace through the United Nations. She moved to Washington in 1935; her home, a 19th-century townhouse at 1318 Vermont Ave., served as headquarters for the National Council of Negro Women 1943-1966. It is now the Bethune Museum and Archives, a center for black women's history. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; $1. (202) 322-1233.

* Ebenezer Methodist Church - At Fourth and D streets, SE. The first public school for Washington blacks was opened in 1863 on this site. One of its first teachers, Ema Born, became the first black to teach public school in Washington.

* Evans-Tibbs Collection - A collection of paintings and sculpture by 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century black artists. The collection is housed in the former home of Lillian Evans-Tibbs, the first black professional opera singer. 1910 Vermont Ave., NW. 6-8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursdays; 2-5 p.m. Saturdays; other times by appointment. (202) 234-8164.

* Howard University - Named for General Oliver Otis Howard, this university was founded in 1867 when the Missionary Society for the First Congregational Church of Washington recognized the need for higher education for freed blacks after the Civil War. Alumni have included Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. 2400 Sixth St., NW. (202) 686-5400.

* Lincoln Park - Lincoln Park, along East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th streets, celebrates the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. During the Civil War, fugitive slaves sought refuge in Washington and in April 1862, Congress passed an emancipation law that freed D.C. slaves.

* Metropolitan A.M.E. Church - Metropolitan's roots date back to 1822 when a group of dissatisfied blacks broke away from a predominantly white church to form the first A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) church in 1886. The red brick building is now a downtown architectural landmark. Its parishioners have included such notables as Frederick Douglass and educator Francis Cardozo. 1518 M St., NW. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; Sunday services at 8 and 11 a.m. (202) 331-1426.

* National Museum of African Art (Smithsonian Institution) - At 950 Independence Ave., SW, it is the national museum devoted to the art and culture of Africa. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. (202) 357-2700.

Washington, D.C., Convention and Visitors Association

* To visit some of these places on an organized tour, contact the following tour companies:

Capitol Entertainment Services, Inc. - (202) 636-9203

Offers a Black History Tour focusing on the life and contributions of Frederick Douglass. Tour is $14/person and includes the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, Frederick Douglass National Historic Home, National Museum of African Art, Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial and the National Portrait Gallery.

Gold Line/Gray Line Sightseeing, Inc. - (202) 386-8300

Operates the "Mayor's Tour" upon request. The 8-hour tour is for groups only (up to 47). Sites include the Bannecker Circle and Fountain and Ebenezer Methodist Church.

Tourmobile Sightseeing, Inc. - (202) 554-5100

Tourmobile takes visitors to Cedar Hill, site of the Frederick Douglass Home, for a short briefing, film and tour. The tour then includes Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial as well as 18 stops.

Washington Black History National Recreation Trail - A National Park Service walking tour. For a detailed brochure, call (202) 485-9666 and ask for the Washington, D.C., Black History Recreation Trail booklet.